


Victory

by blackbirdofasgard



Series: Victory [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence - Avengers (2012), Canon-Typical Violence, I mean yeah he's behind Loki's actions in this, Loki is an ass, Loki is complicated, Loki wins the Battle of New York, Mild Language, Other, Reader goes through some stressful times, Reader is mind-controlled, Reader was written as female, Sad Ending, Slow Burn, Stockholm Syndrome, Thanos whomst?, all the original Avengers are in this but they're not really the main focus, because I'm busy pretending it's still 2012, but everything will be okay I promise, but he needs a hug anyway, but the only indication of that is Loki claiming you as his queen, but the purple nutsack will not make an appearance, but the series has a happy ending i promise, complicated feelings all around, fluff comes in later parts of this series, it's complicated - Freeform, just not this part, no dub-con or non-con though, so please feel free to read no matter your gender, this is just the beginning of Loki and Reader's complicated relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbirdofasgard/pseuds/blackbirdofasgard
Summary: Reader is in the wrong place at the wrong time during the Battle of New York and encounters Loki. It was only a brief encounter, but long enough for him to remember you. What happens when he wins, and summons you to him?
Relationships: Loki (Marvel) & Reader, Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Series: Victory [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751533
Comments: 10
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a story that I originally wrote as a self-insert, but I was pretty proud of the end product, so I wanted to share it as a Loki/Reader story. With that said, I already have it all written, so no worries about updates being behind schedule. I'll probably update every few days. This is a fairly short fic, so it shouldn't take long to get it all out. I really hope you like it, and please be kind! I'm just doing this for fun!
> 
> Also, a warning for this chapter: Reader has some complicated life or death thoughts, though nothing too serious, I hope. If anyone feels that I need to add a stronger warning here or in the tags, please let me know. Fanfiction should be a safe place for everyone to explore!

The skies of New York screamed with alien crafts, streaking between (and sometimes crashing into) buildings from a giant hole in the sky. The noise almost drowned out the other screaming filling the city: the sirens in the streets, the people everywhere in pain and fear.

It had started out as a totally normal day. Business people headed for work, vendors sold their wares, the streets filled with traffic and the sound of car horns. Just an average day. How in the world had it changed into this chaos?

You wondered this as you frantically raced down the stairs of your office building. You and your fellow coworkers had been told to take shelter in the subways, so that's where you were headed now.

"Dammit, where did everyone else go?" you muttered aloud, trying not to panic. In the chaos, you'd somehow gotten separated from the rest of the people from your office. It wasn't that you didn't know the way, but all the same, you didn't exactly want to be alone right now.

Hearing distant crashes and booms above you, you glanced up through the railings in the tall stairwell. _Oh, please wait for me to get out before collapsing_ , you prayed silently as you continued down the stairs.

Then from inside one of the doors leading into an office space, you heard a much closer crash and then voices. _Is somebody else still in the building?_ you wondered, thinking only of making sure everybody got out safely. Without a thought that it could be dangerous, you stopped at the door where the crash had come from and opened it.

As soon as you saw what exactly was going on inside, you froze, your insides going numb with fear. You couldn't move, and so you just watched. A few of the aliens appeared to have crashed into this floor. A man with black hair and strange armor had come after them and was forcefully shoving them back towards the jagged hole they'd made in the building's side.

"Get back out there and join your brothers!" the man snarled, "You're fighting for me until you die!"

Only one thought registered in your mind at that moment. This was no ordinary man: he was ordering the aliens. _Controlling_ them. Which made all this destruction his fault. You felt like you needed to scream, but resisted. You knew that you must not be seen by this man. But you still couldn't move...

You watched as the aliens filed out of the hole, presumably able to jump all the way to the ground. Once they were gone, the man turned to scan the room, and then, to your horror, his eyes met yours.

He paused. His face gave nothing away; no emotion, no hint of what he was going to do to you. He just stared emotionlessly for a few moments.

Internally, you were screaming at yourself to run, that this man was dangerous. But your legs had turned to stone. _Besides_ , you thought as his eyes bored into you, _who knows what he'll do if I make any sudden movements?_

The moment seemed to stretch on for hours as you wondered when the man would kill you, but in reality, only a few seconds passed. And then, he moved. You flinched, expecting to be struck dead at any moment. But he only headed for one of the alien crafts that hadn't been destroyed in the crash, climbed on, and flew away.

Unable to believe your luck, you took a few moments, staring at the hole, half-expecting him to come back. It took you a while to realize you were holding your breath. Gasping as some feeling returned to your legs, you tried to figure out what had just happened. Had the man not seen you standing there, half inside the door? No, that couldn't be; he'd been looking you dead in the eyes. So then the question was why he had left you alive. Maybe murder wasn't his primary goal? If that was true, he was doing a poor job. No doubt the city's destruction would claim many casualties.

The building gave a violent quake, which finally snapped you back to reality. Hurrying back out of the office space and into the stairwell, you continued your descent, heading for relative safety. You tried not to think about what you'd just witnessed, or what might happen if that man's alien invasion was successful.

~~~~

News traveled quickly in the subways as people learned what was going on above their heads. Hope flared among New York City's citizens when they heard that a group of heroes including Iron Man were attempting to hold off the alien forces. They could occasionally hear the thunderous roars of something enormous, even down below ground, though it was impossible to tell if the sound heralded good news or bad.

All through the subway tunnels, people were on their cell phones, either calling loved ones or browsing news sites to learn what was going on. They learned that the madman who started this catastrophe was called Loki, that he'd come from another world, that he'd also staged an attack in Germany. With the knowledge, the desperate hope that the heroes would prevail only grew.

But hope soon died. Word spread that Loki had won. The alien army was too much for the heroes to fight: they'd been forced to retreat. As people stared at the headline, 'NEW YORK CITY UNDER ALIEN CONTROL', the subways went silent as the grave. Nobody knew what to do next.

Within an hour, they came for you. Two aliens seized you and marched you out of the tunnels and into the deserted and trashed twilight city streets. The sky was blood red.

You were trembling from head to foot, hardly able to walk. You shuddered to feel the aliens' cold hands gripping you tightly so you couldn't escape. The clicking, shrieking sound they made to communicate with each other was horrible to hear, and echoed in the dead streets. What did they want with you? And where were they taking you?

You soon found out. Your group arrived at the foot of Stark Tower. You could guess who was in there, presumably waiting for you. At the thought of the evil conqueror, your blood ran cold. You still didn't know what he wanted with you.

Before reaching the doors inside, you passed other aliens marching along some of the humans who'd been fighting for the city: police and army and the like. Seeing where your aliens were taking you, a few of them cast you pitying looks, which only made you feel even sicker. If they were captives who were probably going to be killed and they felt bad for you, then what in the world was in store for you?

The trip to the top floor seemed to last a very long time, and no time at all. You kept wondering if these were your last few moments alive. You wished you could have contacted your family and friends, but you doubted that was an option anymore.

At last, the elevator doors glided open to reveal Tony Stark's penthouse, and there he was. Loki sat perched on a stool by the bar across the room, one of Iron Man's helmets floating in mid-air in front of him. As you were forced over to him, you watched as it was crushed by some immense, invisible pressure, then released to clatter to the ground.

Your group stopped moving then, and you forced yourself to look up into the eyes of your doom. All Loki's attention was on you now, giving you that same piercing stare he had watched you with in the office. Your attention was drawn away from his eyes though as he languidly rose to his feet, picking up a sort of scepter.

It was nearly as tall as he was, and ended in a glowing blue gem, and, more worryingly, a huge, curved silver blade. You swallowed hard, beginning to feel faint. Your heart quickened, desperate to continue beating as much as possible in the short time you were still allowed.

"Leave," Loki ordered the aliens, and they released you and left the room.

This didn't exactly soothe your fears. The aliens weren't so close at hand, but now you were alone with the lunatic who had taken over the city. Standing there meekly, shaking with fear, you were once again rooted to the spot. Turning your scared eyes to him, you waited for him to strike.

Instead, Loki spoke. "I understand you're not accustomed to living in a monarchy, so I'll excuse you not showing the proper respect to your king."

You weren't listening to him. You were busy calculating your likelihood of survival. It didn't look good. You couldn't try to escape: the tower was crawling with aliens who would kill you if ordered. If you stayed here, you'd probably be stabbed to death with that lethal-looking spear in Loki's hand. But perhaps you could at least achieve a swift death if you leapt out of a window...

Loki had paused to let his previous words sink in, but received no response other than your blank, terrified stare. Unperturbed, he went on, "I had you brought to me because I've chosen you to be my queen."

Taking notice of his words at last, you stopped mentally calculating your quickest and most painless death. You blinked. Loki's queen? What was that supposed to mean? You didn't know anything about being in charge of a country. Was he not going to kill you, then? You supposed being Loki's queen would be better than being killed.

But then again, would it? To be with him all the time? The man terrified you. How could you live in terror, just waiting for him to do something violent? And, you thought, paling, what would he expect from you as his queen? You couldn't possibly love him! And yet, you had a sinking feeling that that would hardly matter. He would simply take what he wanted, like how he'd taken the city. You did not want that.

As these thoughts ran through your head, Loki watched you, frowning expectantly. Clearly, he thought you should have reacted to his proclamation by now. "Did you not hear me?" he asked, "I've just named you the queen of this entire realm. Does this not please you?"

Frozen in place, you still gave no response; you had no idea what to think.

Waiting for another moment in silence, Loki finally gave a sigh and stepped towards you, lifting his scepter.

This at last snapped you out of your daze. Taking a step backwards to counter his, you thought fast. You wanted to stay alive; that you knew for certain, but Loki was advancing on you now, his weapon poised. It seemed your time was up. What could you do?

Then you remembered he'd asked a question. "I am- I am pleased," you tried frantically. "Your highness," you added quickly. You were certain you'd been unconvincing, and you winced to hear the obvious quavering fear in your voice.

Loki kept advancing, giving you a strange look. Was it pity? No, it must have been determination. "You're lying," he said simply, making your heart sink as he came ever closer. He had come within arm's reach now, and you quavered under his unrelenting stare. "You're not pleased," Loki went on, lifting his scepter so the tip of the blade rested on your chest over your heart, "But you will be."

Swallowing hard, you knew a moment of frantic confusion, feeling the sharp tip of the blade, but no pressure behind it. And then, your senses overloaded and your defenses dropped as your vision went brilliantly blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. I'm not exactly breaking new ground here, but I wanted to write this trope my way.
> 
> Full disclosure: I've never been in New York City's subways, so I have no idea if cell phones work down there or not. Just suspend your disbelief and go with me on this one.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to find out what Loki will want from you on your first night in the tower under his control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty short chapter this time. I think this is probably one of the shortest.
> 
> Loki starts calling the Reader by their name in this chapter, so (Y/N) will be used. Sorry if that bothers you, but it felt necessary.
> 
> No warnings for this chapter.

Waiting in Loki's bedroom, you sat on the bed, watching the door expectantly. You'd been provided with bedclothes to change into, which were much more comfortable than your work clothes you'd been wearing all day. Loki was so thoughtful to have given them to you. You smiled benignly to think of him. Your fingers curled absently in the sheets (green, to match Loki's eyes) as you waited. Of course you would be sleeping in the same room and bed with him; it was only natural, seeing as you were now his queen.

In actuality, the room and the whole tower belonged to Tony Stark, but Loki had taken it all from the undeserving man. You felt proud that Loki had set things right. You were able to remember your earlier fear, but now the thought of it nearly made you laugh; there was no reason you should be afraid of Loki. He had taken his rightful place as king of the Earth, after all.

You spent another hour waiting in impatience to see Loki again. Finally, the door of his room opened, and your heart leapt as he stepped through and closed the door behind him. You stood up to welcome him, beyond pleased to see him. His bloody, battle-worn armor had been cast off, replaced instead by soft bedclothes. A weary expression marred his face, and at once, you wanted to ease his worries, no matter what he wanted you to do.

"My king," you greeted, lowering your head into a half-bow, "I'm so glad to see you. How can I help take your mind off of your long day?"

"Don't bow to me," Loki ordered, and you obeyed him at once, looking back up at him as he went on, "You're my queen. You need not bow."

"If you wish it, Loki," you responded warmly. You watched him as he crossed the room to the bed and pulled back the covers, admiring his every move. He was so graceful and elegant in everything he did!

Sitting on the bed with his back to the headboard against a pillow, Loki looked to you, still standing and watching him, waiting for orders. With a smirk, he gestured to the empty side of the bed and invited, "Join me."

At once, without question or hesitation, you complied. You climbed into the bed beside him and lay down, looking up at him hopefully.

But now, Loki's expression held a complicated array of emotions as he looked back down at you. While he appeared mostly satisfied with your compliance, he also looked frustrated, troubled, and very slightly anxious. "(Y/N)," he opened, folding his hands over his stomach.

Your heart soared to hear your name fall from his lips. Smiling blissfully, you invited him to go on, asking, "Yes, Loki?"

"I want to tell you a story," he told you, "I believe..." He hesitated, moving his gaze up to the skylight overhead and the starry sky beyond. "That is, I _hope_ it will help you understand."

"I'd like that very much," you replied, relaxing beside him.

"Very well," Loki murmured, pausing to collect his thoughts before beginning his story. "I'm from a realm that you mortals know from your myths and legends as Asgard. Asgard's current king is named Odin." He spat the name, pausing to calm himself before going on. "Until recently, I called that man my father. He and his queen, Frigga, raised me along with Thor, their biological son.

"But this story takes place before my time. Before they had children, before they came to know each other, when Odin was a young king just taking over from his father, Asgard was at war with another realm known as Vanaheim. It had been a long war, with many casualties on both sides, but eventually, with Odin's leadership and tactical prowess, Asgard won."

You stared up at Loki, enraptured. His story fascinated you, though you weren't certain what it was supposed to help you understand; you already understood him perfectly.

"Because Odin had led Asgard to victory, he forged an alliance with Vanaheim. A partnership," Loki continued, "Asgard would receive Vanaheim's crops while in turn providing their superior weapons to the Vanir.

"But Odin took something else from Vanaheim only for himself: a bride. Odin and Frigga were married within a few days of the end of the war, and then became king and queen of Asgard.

"At first, Frigga did not take kindly to her new husband, who had savaged her native land and led his armies to take countless lives of her people. But eventually, she grew to see a different side of him; more caring and gentle than the war general she had known. He had taken much, but it turned out he gave much more." Turning his eyes back down to you, coming down to Earth, he concluded, "She grew to love the man that she had once despised and even feared."

"Of course she did," you agreed immediately, once you realized his story was over, "It's the right thing to do."

Contrary to looking assured, Loki only seemed more conflicted by your easy willingness to agree. Gazing down into your eyes, a frown creased his brow and he grimaced slightly. Giving one slow nod, he seemed regretful somehow. "Yes..." he murmured, "Good night, (Y/N)." Waving a hand to turn the lights off, he settled further into the bed, and lay down with his back to you.

Confused, you got the impression you'd done something wrong somehow. Inching closer to your king, you tentatively rested your head against his back. Somehow, you hoped the sentiment would help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I borrowed the idea for the story that Loki tells you from the comics. They haven't really gone into Frigga's backstory in the MCU yet, so I took some artistic liberties. Plus, I've always found that idea interesting. In this instance especially, I feel like it adds a level of dimension to the idea of Loki trying to claim a spouse from Midgard. What are his motivations for wanting a spouse? Does he even have any motivations beyond, 'I do what I want'? Good question.
> 
> Also, I don't mean to intentionally bash on any other Marvel characters, just in case anyone takes offense to the 'undeserving Tony Stark' line. I don't really believe that. Reader was mind-controlled by Loki; what can I say? In this house, we love and respect all of the Avengers and MCU characters. Except Thanos, because fuck that guy. And Hydra, because fuck Nazis.
> 
> I'll probably post the next chapter a little sooner since this one was pretty short!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rescue mission you never asked for goes terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some death in this chapter. Nothing graphic.

For a little over a month, you spent your days in the rooms of the tower that you shared with Loki. The comfortable living space, the well-stocked kitchen, and the bedroom were your home, though most of your time was spent just waiting for your king to return to you.

Loki spent his nights with you, but during the days, he was a floor above, busy (you knew) with ruling the world. You didn't know anything about his methods, or what was going on out in the larger world, and you really didn't care. As long as your smaller world with Loki wasn't disturbed, you were happy.

While you were truly content with your life with Loki, you were confused by what you were doing wrong. Every single night would play out much like the first: you'd greet him, the two of you would talk, and then you both went to sleep. Loki wouldn't touch you. You were sure that whatever was wrong must have been your fault somehow, though you had no idea what you'd done. You only ever did as Loki desired.

But despite your confusion, you didn't ask him about it or question your king's intentions. It wasn't your place. He hadn't told you to change in any way, so you had to assume he didn't want you to change. In fact, Loki almost never gave you any direct orders. Although, one exception to that generalization stood out from the rest.

It had happened when you had been living in the tower for about two weeks.

Sitting in the living room, you looked out of the panoramic windows over the rest of the city. It looked no different than usual, though you knew the truth: that it was so much better, because Loki was ruling it now. For some reason unknown to yourself, you focused on a building several blocks away from the tower. Deep in your subconscious, you thought you felt a twinge of recognition. But before you could devote more thought to it, the doors of the elevator opened behind you across the room, effectively distracting you.

Standing and turning, you smiled brightly. You hadn't expected to see Loki until that evening, as usual. But it wasn't Loki standing in the elevator. A group of strange people wearing combat gear and armed with guns had been revealed instead.

Your smile fell away at once. "Who are you?" you asked worriedly.

Noticing you, some of the people raised their weapons and aimed them at you. Fearfully, you shrank back, wishing Loki were there. But then the group's leader waved off his fellows. "Lower your weapons," he instructed impatiently, "Can't you see she's a human?"

"Then what's she doing in here?" a woman asked, distrusting.

The leader stepped towards you, speculating, "A captive? Look at how scared she is." Reaching you, the man gave you a reassuring look. "Don't worry, miss," he said kindly, "We'll get you out of here safely, alright?"

Frowning, you took a step back. "What?" you asked helplessly. Take you away from Loki? Why did they want to do that? You were happy here. You didn't want to leave.

"Come on," the leader insisted, taking a hold of your arm and urging you to follow.

Panicking, you tried to resist. "No!" you cried loudly, pulling against the soldier.

He was stronger than you. Though giving you a strange look, he reasoned to the rest of his squad, "She must be in shock from what happened to her."

You continued to fight against the man, who was soon joined by some of the other soldiers, pulling you across the room kicking and screaming. "Help!" you yelled, tears in your eyes, "Help me!"

"Quiet!" the leader shushed you hastily in a whisper, "We're trying to help you, if you'd just-" Only then did he fully meet your eyes, freezing in place when he did. As though burned, he released your arm and turned back to his squad. "Abort the mission," he hissed, "We need to get out, now!"

Up until that point, the team of soldiers had been so preoccupied trying to get you to come with them, they hadn't noticed the elevator moving from the top floor down to theirs. However, they did notice when the doors opened before they could reach it to reveal Loki, his face twisted with rage, scepter in hand.

For an instant, the soldiers froze, staring in terror at the horned god before them. Then in the next instant, most of them aimed their guns at him, preparing for a battle. One of them still had a firm grip on you, who, despite the situation, was relieved to see Loki.

"(Y/N), hide yourself," Loki commanded sharply, lifting his scepter to the ready.

Your obedience was instantaneous. With no problem, you wrenched yourself free from the soldier, using strength you were sure you wouldn't have had without Loki's command. Then you ran. Throwing yourself into the kitchen the next room over, you ducked behind a marble counter, curling yourself into a ball in the corner.

Before you'd even cleared the room though, the leader of the soldiers had shouted, "Fire!" And the gunfire had started. As you tucked your chin between your knees, covering your head and shuddering, you hoped Loki would be okay. It sounded like every soldier was firing their weapon, every bullet aimed at Loki, a clear target. Logically, you knew that he'd probably be fine; he'd overpowered a group of six superheroes, and this was just a group of six ordinary humans. All the same, you worried.

Squeezing your eyes shut, you were relieved to hear the zap of Loki's scepter shooting deadly beams of energy at the soldiers. You still didn't understand how he was managing to evade their gunfire, but you did know that as long as you heard the zapping sound and the hum of his magic, everything would be okay.

A zap, and then, what sounded like the first casualty of the battle: a soldier's strangled scream as he was decimated. You breathed a little easier. One less person trying to kill your king.

You counted each scream that signaled a death as the sound of gunfire thinned out. Beyond the sound of automatic weapons firing their rounds, you counted another one. Only four more soldiers left.

A shout. Three.

A yell. Two.

A cry. One.

The gunfire stopped, and the last soldier spoke, her voice pleading, desperate. "Please!" she begged, "Have mercy!"

"I am not merciful," Loki said coldly. One last zap. One last scream. All of the soldiers were gone.

Although you knew the coast was clear, you stayed put, though you lifted your head and opened your eyes, still shaking with fear from what had just happened. The air looked dusty, and reeked of the sour, acrid smell of gunfire. Obedient in the face of your terror, you waited for Loki to come to you and tell you it was okay to come out.

At last, after a few minutes, he appeared around the corner of the kitchen counter, still clutching his scepter. "You can come out now," he told you.

Immediately, you launched yourself to your feet and then into Loki's arms, sobbing against his chest. "Loki!" you cried, "I-I was so scared! They wanted to take me away!" Clutching onto the front of his armor, you dissolved into sobs.

Assuringly, Loki set his free arm around your shoulders, trying to soothe you in the face of your terror. "It's alright," he intoned, his voice calming you, "You're safe now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rest in peace, soldiers. You were only trying to help. For the record, I don't think that they were 'actual members of the army' soldiers; just a well-intentioned, yet poorly planned out group of local militia.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's reign on Earth comes to an aprupt end, and you're left with some complicated emotions about the trickster god.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know: Loki didn't last long as king of Earth. But while the Avengers might have made a tactical retreat, they never give up completely!

Another day of waiting for Loki to return to you, and you sat in your usual spot, looking over the city. The day had barely begun, and the morning sun reflected off the glass buildings. It seemed like it would be pretty quiet, but then from the floor above, you heard loud crashes and thuds and clangs.

You leapt to your feet, staring at the ceiling. It sounded like another battle was being fought. Waiting anxiously, you listened to the violent sounds go on for twenty minutes until at last, they stopped.

Waiting uncertainly, you hoped that, like the last battle, Loki had been victorious. You expected that in no time, he'd be coming down to check on you. Turning your eyes to the elevator, you waited another minute, but the light over the door indicating the floor it was on didn't change.

Then, in the back of your mind came a small voice, a whisper that didn't belong to you. _Come to me_ , it ordered gently, and you knew it was Loki telling you to do so.

Without hesitation, you obeyed. Crossing the room, you stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the floor above. Though you were uncertain what you would find when the doors opened, you weren't afraid; you had your orders and you must follow them.

The journey from one floor to the next was over almost instantaneously. When the elevator doors opened, you found the infamous Avengers inside, surrounding Loki, who'd been forced into handcuffs. The Hulk and Thor (the two strongest heroes) were closest to him, ensuring he wouldn't escape.

But the sound of the elevator door opening drew everyone's attention to see who the newcomer was. You paid no mind to the heroes. Your eyes were focused on Loki, determined to get to him. A hand grabbed your arm, stopping you in your tracks before you could get very far, though.

The voice in the back of your mind said, _Don't fight_. Looking up, you saw that the hand belonged to Captain America, looking bewildered at your appearance.

Across the room, Iron Man's robotic voice emitted from his suit in exasperation. "Hey, lady, you can't be here. We're kind of in the middle of arresting a prisoner of war," he said, stepping towards you like he was going to remove you from the premises himself.

"Tony, wait..." Captain America cautioned, frowning, "Look at her eyes..." The rest of the heroes took a closer look at you, slow realization dawning on their faces.

"You sick bastard..." growled the one with a bow and arrow. He was glaring at Loki with a disgusted grimace on his face. In the face of the man's rage, Loki grinned wickedly.

"Free her, now," Cap said sharply, aiming his command at their prisoner.

But Loki wasn't under mind control, and didn't have to follow orders. His evil grin widened. "Oh no, I don't think I will," he replied.

Thor shook him by the shoulder as sparks of anger ran through the hammer in his other hand. "The captain said now!" he thundered.

Loki laughed maliciously. "And what will you do if I don't?" he challenged, looking around the room at them all.

They were silent for a moment until the only woman, holding Loki's scepter, spoke up. "We could hit her really hard in the head," she suggested emotionlessly, "That worked on Clint."

"But he was also trying to kill you at the time, Nat. And we didn't have the scepter then either," Cap pointed out, "Loki controlled people using it, right? There must be some way to use it to break the spell."

Still smirking, Loki scoffed, "None of you half-wits know how to use it."

"I do," Clint spoke up, and everyone turned to him, except you, who felt oddly apathetic about the proceedings.

"You do?" Iron Man asked, surprised.

Clint shrugged. "I picked up a lot under his control," he said, jerking his head at Loki, whose grin had now fallen. "I think I can manage to snap her out of it," Clint concluded.

"You think?" Cap asked warily, raising his eyebrows.

"It's either that or hitting an innocent civilian in the head," Nat reminded him.

Captain America grimaced, but had to give in with a nod. "Alright, Clint, go for it," he agreed.

After retrieving the scepter from Nat, Clint headed for you. As he set the tip of the blade to your chest, your eyes met Loki's across the room. He was expressionless, his eyes cold, but inside your head, you heard one last command. _Don't fight_ , it reminded you, then, _Goodbye, love_.

It started slowly, very slowly, and then came all at once. You felt your senses dull, you were less alert, you were once again terrified, and your head was in agony. As the pain grew to an alarming pitch, your face screwed up and you fell to the floor, clutching your head.

It felt as though you'd just been released from some enormous pressure all at once. Like being immediately transported from 50,000 feet in the air down to ground level with no time in between to pop your ears and slowly acclimate. Logically, you knew that being mind-controlled hadn't been normal and you just needed time to adjust back to what was normal. But your mind wasn't thinking logically, and at the moment, more than anything, you just wanted the pain to stop.

"No... no..." you moaned, "Put it back... Please! Please..."

Dully, too distracted by the throbbing in your head, you felt a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "Take it easy, kid," came Clint's voice gently, "I know it's a mess to come back from, but you're gonna be okay."

You heard him, but didn't register his words. "Please..." you continued to beg quietly, tears of pain streaming from your eyes despite them being clamped shut.

Clint remained by your side supportively, though he could do nothing to help alleviate the pain in your head. "She'll need to go to a hospital," Cap said, businesslike as he turned to face Loki, "But what do we do with Loki?"

It took a while to debate, as Thor insisted his brother should come back with him to Asgard (wherever that was), and Iron Man retorted that Earth would want retribution for themselves. Eventually, they agreed that, at least for the moment, they needed to find somewhere secure to keep Loki, and that SHIELD would be able to do that best.

In the time it took them to decide this and contact the proper authorities, the overwhelming pain in your head had diminished to an acute ache. It still hurt like hell, but in comparison to how you'd felt before, it was manageable. You'd stopped begging a while ago, and now you were taking deep breaths, hoping the worst was over. Wiping your cheeks and eyes of your tears, you slowly raised your head to see what was going on.

The heroes were milling about, save for Hulk and Thor, still watching over Loki. Loki's eyes were locked on you, still emotionless.

"You doing better?" Clint asked, drawing your attention. Tearing your eyes away from the god, you looked at Clint, who'd crouched to your level.

Your head still pounded like it was going to split, but you nodded slowly. "Better," you clarified, "but not great."

Clint nodded too. "Trust me, I know," he muttered, shooting a dark glare at Loki, who ignored him in favor of continuing to watch you. "Creepy bastard..." Clint went on quietly, "He hasn't taken his eyes off you yet."

Seeing your grimace, he quickly changed the subject. "Listen, we're gonna get you to a medical team soon," he said, "They'll be able to help you."

Noticing that you had recovered somewhat, Cap, Iron Man, and Nat turned their attention to you. "You don't look like you're physically injured, but..." Cap trailed off before steeling himself. "I'm sorry to make you think about what happened, but did Loki... hurt you? In any way?" he asked.

Frowning, you thought back. You were able to remember everything from the past month: everything that had happened, and your thoughts and feelings about it all. Though you racked your brain (as much as you could stand), you came to a surprising realization. "No," you answered slowly.

The Avengers appeared collectively surprised, but you looked past them, turning your wide eyes to the god in question. "He didn't even touch me," you concluded.

"Could he have messed with her memory?" Iron Man asked, looking to Clint.

The archer shrugged. "I'm able to remember all of my time under the scepter's influence, whether I want to or not."

"There's no gaps in my memory," you added somewhat defensively. You were sure that they didn't believe you.

But they seemed to take you at your word. The heroes looked at Loki questioningly. Seeing the stares he was receiving, Loki jutted his chin out stubbornly. "On Asgard, a king cannot take the throne for long without a queen," he explained, "I only selected a queen for tradition's sake."

Your face fell slightly as you felt a surge of betrayal. Just for tradition, was it? So you had meant nothing to him? How could he say that after-

But then you shook your head and closed your eyes, rubbing your temples as your brain continued to throb painfully. What in the world were you thinking?! You didn't want his affection! It was better that you meant nothing to him.

As more of the pain subsided, you assured yourself that the invasive thoughts and emotions must have been an aftershock of being under mind control. A sort of side effect of being freed of it. You reminded yourself that you didn't care what Loki thought of you.

You didn't. Really.

~~~~

Gripping his handcuffed brother hard at the elbow as he led him to his cell, Thor didn't look at him. He couldn't. He was disgusted with the man trudging along beside him. He remembered when they had been boys together; a thousand years ago, but it felt like yesterday. Thor knew that both of them had been taught better than this. Loki had always been the one to heed his lessons. Did he simply not care anymore?

No, Thor concluded with a heavy heart, this man was not his brother. It appeared that Loki really had died when he'd fallen from the Bifrost.

Reaching the cell at last, Thor wordlessly pushed Loki inside before sealing the door behind him. Loki looked back at him through the glass, his eyes hard, unrepentant. If he was a stranger, why did he seem so familiar?

Thor cursed silently. He couldn't help himself. He had to say something. His mind fell on the girl Loki had kept captive. There, he found at least a glimmer of hope. After all, Loki had not done anything to her.

Looking him directly in the eyes, electric blue met jade green. "That girl won't ever be the same," he stated, trying to understand Loki's thoughts. Loki said nothing; he only stared back calmly. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Thor. Letting out a sigh, he chided, "You can't force people to love you, Loki."

Retaining his impassive expression, Loki took a moment to consider the thunder god's words before responding. "Perhaps not," he conceded, though his eyes gleamed sinisterly as he concluded, "But she won't ever forget me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good old Loki, back at it again causing mischief for the sake of messing with people's lives. :D
> 
> Again, taking some artistic liberties with Asgard's traditions for the sake of the story.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader deals with the emotional fallout after being released from Loki's mind control.

Rather than being released to a normal hospital's care, you were taken in by doctors of an organization known as SHIELD. Apparently, normal hospitals were still trying to return to their usual day-to-day operations, and SHIELD could provide you with the care you needed immediately. At least, that's the explanation they gave you.

Upon arriving, a doctor looked you over and confirmed that you seemed to be in perfectly good health, at least physically. All the same, they wanted to keep you overnight to run some further tests to be sure.

Suspecting that you were in the same facility that Loki was being held in, you asked about him anxiously. The nurses assured you that he was locked up tight, and wouldn't be hurting anybody else. That hadn't completely answered your question. You spent a lot of time imagining him locked up, floors below, or perhaps above. This didn't help soothe your worries.

Several times, you had to remind yourself harshly to stop thinking about him.

You didn't see the Avengers again after you arrived, but you were very much okay with that. More than anything, you wanted to go home and forget everything that had happened to you.

But of course, it couldn't be that simple. Once the medical staff had deemed you healthy, you were questioned about the events of the previous month before you were released. You were forced to relive your time under Loki's mind control, speaking to an impassive agent who occasionally made notes on a clipboard.

By the end of the interview session, the day was all but over and you felt more drained than you had ever been in your life. If you ever had to think about Loki again, it would be too soon.

~~~~

Forgetting proved to be more difficult than you could have possibly imagined. Somehow word had gotten out that you had been held captive in Stark Tower during Loki's reign, and had lived to tell the tale. You were approached by endless news stations, interviewers, reporters, and authors, all of them wanting to tell your story.

You could have made millions off of what happened to you, just because you'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But you did not want to be remembered for this. You turned them all down. All you wanted to do was go home back to your normal life, go to work, and be left alone. You wanted to forget.

Besides being reminded at every turn by people asking about what happened, you were infuriated to find your own mind drifting back to reminisce, even when you were alone. And to your horror, the memories weren't bad. You remembered it all with some fondness. What bothered you more than the memories themselves was the fact that they didn't bother you.

Weeks after being freed, after returning to a relatively normal life (albeit with a lot more people staring at you), you made your way into your old office building. While riding the elevator to your floor, you felt a twinge as it stopped on the fourth floor to let some passengers in. With a glance past them, you saw the newly fixed wall. You remembered it had been smashed in during the battle. It had been on this floor where you'd first seen Loki.

Feeling a jolt, you mentally shook yourself. _Stop thinking about him_ , you scolded yourself. Looking away, you fixed your eyes on the elevator panel, stubbornly focusing on nothing but reading the emergency instructions, trying not to feel the alarming warmth in your heart.

Upon reaching your floor, you resolutely looked straight ahead as you walked, refusing to make eye contact with anybody. Avoiding other people, you'd found, was surprisingly easy; if people weren't badgering you with questions, they were avoiding you like you'd been marked for death, terrified to even associate with you. In moments, you reached your desk and started the eight hours of work that were required of you for the day.

Normally glad for your overactive imagination, you were starting to despise it. It had gotten you through many boring days at work, but lately, your mind had been drifting to and wandering about Loki. As you did your work, you recalled (for the millionth time) how he had treated you when you'd been his captive.

As much as you racked your brain, you couldn't recall, even once, being treated poorly. Beyond being mind controlled, Loki hadn't done a single thing to you that you didn't like. Frustrated, you knew that you should hate him on principle alone: for taking control of the city, for killing people, for controlling you. Somewhere inside you, you did, but it was halfhearted. You couldn't feel any real hatred for him.

Why hadn't he taken advantage of you? He could have gotten away with it easily. How many opportunities had he had? And then, beyond what he hadn't done, was what he _had_ done. You recalled with fondness the way he'd looked at you at times. How he'd spoken to you.

The story Loki had told you on that first night particularly stood out. That, more than anything, haunted your daydreams. No matter how you tried, you couldn't distract yourself from what he'd told you, and more specifically, what he had revealed about himself.

Now that you could think for yourself again, you were able to think about the story and derive deeper meaning from it. You didn't like what you found. Loki had wanted you to understand, and you felt sure it had been intended to explain himself to you once you were freed, which you now were.

He'd wanted you to understand.

Though you couldn't believe yourself, you found that you did understand. Damn him, you did. Loki wanted-

With a jolt, you realized you were staring out the window at Stark tower a few blocks away. Cursing yourself, you returned to your work. _Stop thinking about him!_ you insisted, suppressing the leap in your heart. Blushing miserably, you forbade yourself from daydreaming.

As if it was that simple.

At long last, the work day ended and you made your way home, keeping your mind busy, focusing on crossing the city while talking to as few people as possible.

Once you were at home, you set aside your bag and prepared yourself dinner. Turning on the TV, you sat down to eat in solitude. Leftovers and canned vegetables. Moodily, you stared at the mushy, wilted food on your plate, poking it with your fork. It was adequate, sure, but your mind drifted back to the delicious foods Loki had conjured up for you.

_Stop thinking about him_ , you thought with a frown, cutting the memories short and scooping up some food. Really, this obsession was getting ridiculous. According to the news, it had been nearly three weeks since Loki's downfall. It was time to let him go.

_He protected me_ , you thought, unbidden, remembering the squad of soldiers you'd feared so much at the time.

_No_ , you corrected yourself firmly, _He murdered innocent people. People who wanted to help me_. Feeling your stomach twist into knots, you recalled, _And I stood aside. I called for him. I'm as guilty as he is in their deaths._

Sickened at the thought, you paused in eating, your plate half empty. Why were you so conflicted about him? How could you go on much longer in this state of confusion?

It was then that the news anchor on the screen reported, "In a statement from the alien realm of Asgard, we've received word that the trials prosecuting Loki, the failed conqueror of Earth, have concluded. He has, of course, been found guilty and will be put to death."

The anchor went on, but you had stopped listening at the word 'death'. Your mind had gone blank as you stared at the screen. Taking in the news, you blinked a few times, your face impassive. "Good," you said at last, speaking aloud though nobody was there to hear you. Nodding as you got up, carrying your half empty plate of food to the sink, you repeated, "Good."

Cleaning up for the night, you showered and changed into pajamas, your mind still strangely blank. Though it was still pretty early, you decided to go to bed. You didn't feel much like doing anything else.

Laying down in the darkness of your room, your eyes stayed wide open. You stared at the empty side of your bed, remembering laying beside Loki. For the first time, you allowed yourself to remember, and dwell on the memories.

Breaking down at last, you started sobbing into your pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this...
> 
> The epilogue for this story is coming soon!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is surprised by a visitor in his cell.

Inside a dark, circular, stone cell in Asgard, they kept Loki. He was locked up tight. A chain connected a manacle around his neck to the floor, so short that it forced him to kneel. His arms were bound behind him, manacles and chains connecting him to the walls: his right hand in a chain to the wall on his left, and the opposite for his left hand.

Loki flexed his fingers, reaching fruitlessly for his magic. It was no use: the chains were engraved with runes of sealing. His magic was rendered useless as long as he wore them.

Ceasing his movement, Loki thought. Did he even want to escape? Even if he did, where would he go? What would he do? Nobody in Asgard cared about him. Well, perhaps his mother did, but one person could hardly change his fate to be hated.

He frowned, glaring down at his loose prison garb, seeing how far he'd fallen. No, he thought, he was probably better off dead.

Loki was uncertain how long he'd been down there. In the windowless dungeon, it was impossible to mark the time. Nobody had even brought meals. No need to waste perfectly good food on the damned.

But eventually (sometime before losing his sanity), the solitary door opened and a guard announced, "You've got a visitor." Loki didn't look up yet. He waited until he'd heard the guard grunt, "Five minutes," and the door close again.

When he raised his eyes, he was stunned into silence, his sarcastic quip dying on his tongue.

You stood there, a mere five feet from him.

He wouldn't have believed you were really there if he hadn't just heard the guard speaking to you and seen the light spilling in from the open door: proof that you weren't just a figment of his imagination.

But it couldn't be. You were supposed to be back on Earth. He'd thought he would never see you again. Why did you want to see him after what he'd done? He voiced none of his questions, so surprised by your sudden appearance that he wasn't sure if he was even capable of speech.

Standing by the door, you stared at Loki in silence for a time. Keeping his eyes on you, he watched as you glanced from him to the door and back, looking terrified yet resigned. Your face was set as you took the first slow step towards him. As you drew nearer, your expression never wavered. For some reason, you were determined to face him.

A little over a minute of the allotted five had passed by the time you reached Loki, standing just in front of him. As soon as you came to a stop, you knelt down to his level, looking him directly in the eyes all the while. Loki wondered again why you had come.

A tiny frown of worry creased your brow as you slowly raised your hands. Loki didn't flinch away. He knew a mortal couldn't hurt him with bare hands. He simply continued to watch you in silence, beginning to grow unbearably curious. Your shaking hands gently came to a rest on the sides of his jaw, holding his head in place. Your eyes seemed to search his, but what you were hoping to find, Loki was uncertain.

At last, you spoke. "Before you're killed," you said quietly, your voice shaking. You swallowed hard before going on, and Loki felt your fingers tighten against his face ever so slightly. "I have to know," you concluded.

And then, before your nerve failed, you kissed him.

Loki's eyes flew open, but he didn't see your face. Instead, he saw both of your lives stretched out before him: lives the two of you could have spent together. He felt certain that you were seeing the vision too.

Your lips left his and he suddenly saw you again in the present. Your eyes were streaming with tears as you returned his gaze. You seemed unable to help yourself as you leaned in again for more.

Loki relaxed, closing his eyes, seeing more with each kiss. Spending his days together with you. Sharing a dance at a ball. Your first child. They were like flashes from another life. Each kiss was sweet agony as the two of you saw what could never be.

Pulling away for the final time, you looked miserably into his eyes once again. If Loki had thought he'd been speechless before, it was nothing to how he felt now. His heart seemed to beat with new life. Everything he'd seen... He wanted it.

But you were rising away from him, though your movement was hesitant, like you were prolonging the moment when you'd have to leave. His chains clanked as he moved, wanting to reach out for you, and the spell was broken. You blinked and turned away from him, walking back to the door. Loki watched you go, helplessly, greedily.

At the door, you turned to gaze back at him one last time, your expression unreadable. And before you walked through the door and out of Loki's life, you muttered two words in an anguished voice.

"Goodbye, love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know the 'seeing your future together while kissing' trope is cheesy, but GOD I'm weak for it.
> 
> So, this is the end of this story. When I originally wrote it a couple years ago, I wanted to leave it there, but then I changed my mind not long after. So, accordingly, I'll be posting the next story in this series very soon! Of course, if you like this ending, you're perfectly free to see this as a standalone.
> 
> See you guys in the next one, and thanks for your support!


End file.
